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years, during the pandemic." data-image_url="https://static.timesofisrael.com/ajn/uploads/2024/11/image001-scaled.jpg" data-image_width="2560" data-image_height="1707"> <div class="banner-placeholder-ajn"> <div id="div-gpt-ad-ATF_LB_1" class="banner b728x90 ATF_LB_1" data-class=".banner.b728x90.ATF_LB_1" data-old-name="ATF_LB_1" data-name="header_billboard" data-size="[[970, 250], [728, 90]]" data-account="178876888" > <script type="text/javascript"> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-ATF_LB_1"); }); </script> </div></div> <div class="sidebar-control">home page</div> <div class="article-content-container sticky-sidebar-relative"> <div class="article-wrap"> <header> <div class="above-headline"><span class="label"><span class="label" data-text=""Symbol of joy"">"Symbol of joy"</span></span><span class="overline">ANTI-ISRAEL GROUP'S WAR ON SANTA BACKFIRES</span></div> <h1 class="headline">Victorians flock to festive windows</h1> <h2 class="underline">The shopfront launch in Bourke Street, which attracts huge crowds, has only been cancelled one other time in recent years, during the pandemic.</h2> <div class="under-headline"> <div class="wrap-byline"> <span class="byline"> By <a title="Peter Kohn" href="https://www.australianjewishnews.com/writers/peter-kohn/">Peter Kohn</a> </span> <span class="date">November 20, 2024, 8:00 am</span> <span class="comments"> <a href="#comments"></a> </span> <span class="edit empty"> <a data-id="1297620" href="/wp-admin/post.php?post=1297620&action=edit">Edit</a> </span> </div> <ul class="social"> <li class="facebook"> <a class="popup" data-width="670" data-height="546" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.australianjewishnews.com%2Fvictorians-flock-to-festive-windows%2F"> <span>Facebook</span> </a> </li><li class="twitter"> <a 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href="javascript:window.print();"><span>Print</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </header> <div class="media"><a rel="lightbox" href="https://static.timesofisrael.com/ajn/uploads/2024/11/image001-scaled.jpg"><img width="600" height="375" src="https://static.timesofisrael.com/ajn/uploads/2024/11/image001-640x400.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Photo: Gemma Hubeek / SOPA images/Sipa USA" decoding="async" title="Photo: Gemma Hubeek / SOPA images/Sipa USA" /></a><div class="caption">Photo: Gemma Hubeek / SOPA images/Sipa USA</div></div> <div class="article-content"> <div class="the-content"> <p>A senior official at Myer has reported an upsurge in visitors to the retail giant’s iconic festive shop windows in the Melbourne CBD after anti-Israel activists tried to link the beloved annual tradition to Israel’s defensive actions in Gaza. <p>In a social media post, Disrupt Wars, a pro-Palestine organisation, had urged supporters to “bring flags, placards, banners, props, noisemakers”, declaring, “Christmas is cancelled, and there will be no joy or frivolity while children in Gaza are massacred.” <div id="div-gpt-ad-BTF_MPU_1" class="banner b300x250 BTF_MPU_1" data-class=".banner.b300x250.BTF_MPU_1" data-old-name="BTF_MPU_1" data-name="article_mrec_inline" data-size="[300, 250]" data-account="178876888" > <script type="text/javascript"> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-BTF_MPU_1"); }); </script> </div> <p>The Christmas windows – this year featuring Wildlife Warriors, a tribute to the Steve Irwin family and Australia Zoo — have gone on display, but the threat led Myer to cancel last Sunday’s annual ‘reveal’ event. <p>The shopfront launch in Bourke Street, which attracts huge crowds, has only been cancelled one other time in recent years, during the pandemic.</p> <p>Instead of a festive unveiling at 10.30am, covers were quietly removed around 7.30am, with far smaller numbers watching. After Myer scrapped the traditional launch, Disrupt Wars stated it had called off its plans, although activists still staged random disturbances at the storefront.</p> <p>When The AJN contacted Myer, its chief customer officer Geoff Ikin said the launch had been cancelled for the sake of “the wellbeing and safety of customers, team members and the broader community”.</p> <p>“The Christmas windows are a proud symbol of joy and community, loved by everybody who visit them each year,” said Ikin, “and we remain committed to providing a safe, positive and welcoming experience for all who visit.”</p> <p>Victorians rallied and swelled Bourke Street in higher numbers than last year. Ikin reported “one of the best opening days in the event’s 69-year history … with numbers up almost 20 per cent on last year”.</p> <p>Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said, “Many will be bitterly disappointed that Myer’s Christmas windows’ grand unveiling was cancelled because of risks to public safety from anti-Israel extremists.</p> <p>“I hope everyone who walks past those windows feels some joy and goodwill to others. We need it this year more than most.”</p> <p>Condemning the shutdown of the Christmas window launch, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan told ABC radio, “We can’t let these sorts of ugly protests ruin these beautiful Christmas traditions. We would all love the conflict in the Middle East to be over … we can’t let that division, that conflict overseas cause greater division here in our beautiful city. It’s just not on.”</p> <p>But Liberal MP Georgie Crozier reinforced the opposition’s call for the reintroduction of ‘move-on’ laws to compel disruptive activists to clear off. The former state government had such laws in place, but they were ended by the Andrews government. Crozier described the Allan government’s management of chaotic activism in Melbourne’s streets this year as “impotent”.</p> <p>Victoria Police said it had made multiple requests to activists not to disrupt the event.</p> <p class="newsletter-promo moveto-p2"> <a href="/signup/?utm_source=ajn-articles&utm_medium=middle-link&utm_campaign=signup-buttons"> Get The AJN Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories </a> <a href="/signup/?utm_source=ajn-articles&utm_medium=middle-link&utm_campaign=signup-buttons"> Free Sign Up </a> </p> </div> <div class="article-topics"> <div>read more:</div> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.australianjewishnews.com/topic/news/">News</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.australianjewishnews.com/topic/anitsemitsm/">Anitsemitsm</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.australianjewishnews.com/topic/myer-christmas-windows/">Myer Christmas Windows</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.australianjewishnews.com/topic/pro-palestine-organisation/">pro-Palestine organisation</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.australianjewishnews.com/topic/alex-ryvchin/">Alex Ryvchin</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.australianjewishnews.com/topic/victoria-police/">Victoria Police</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.australianjewishnews.com/topic/georgie-crozier/">Georgie Crozier</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.australianjewishnews.com/topic/geoff-ikin/">Geoff Ikin</a> </li> </ul> </div> <ul class="social bottom"> <li class="facebook"> <a class="popup" data-width="670" data-height="546" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.australianjewishnews.com%2Fvictorians-flock-to-festive-windows%2F"> <span>Facebook</span> </a> </li><li class="twitter"> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Victorians+flock+to+festive+windows&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.australianjewishnews.com%2Fvictorians-flock-to-festive-windows%2F&via=aus_jewishnews"> <span>Twitter</span> </a> </li><li class="whatsapp"><a target="_blank" href="https://wa.me?text=The Australian Jewish News: Victorians+flock+to+festive+windows https%3A%2F%2Fwww.australianjewishnews.com%2Fvictorians-flock-to-festive-windows%2F"><span></span></a></li><li class="email open_mailto" data-article="1297620" data-lang="eng" data-site="The Australian Jewish News" data-title="Victorians flock to festive windows"> <a target="_blank" href="mailto:?subject=The Australian Jewish News: Victorians flock to festive windows&body=I found this on The Australian Jewish News and thought it might interest you: https%3A%2F%2Fwww.australianjewishnews.com%2Fvictorians-flock-to-festive-windows%2F" onclick="return false;"> <span>email</span> </a> </li><li class="print"><a href="javascript:window.print();"><span>Print</span></a></li> </ul>   <div id="comments" class="comments"> <h5>comments </h5> <div class="fb-comments" data-href="http://www.australianjewishnews.com/victorians-flock-to-festive-windows/" data-numposts="5"></div> </div>  </div> </div> <aside class="sidebar sticky-sidebar"> <div class="sticky-sidebar-wrap"> <div id="div-gpt-ad-BTF_SKY_1" class="banner b300x250 BTF_SKY_1" data-class=".banner.b300x250.BTF_SKY_1" data-old-name="BTF_SKY_1" data-name="article_half_page_sidebar" data-size="[300, 250]" data-account="178876888" > <script type="text/javascript"> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-BTF_SKY_1"); }); </script> </div>    <div id="div-gpt-ad-BTF_MPU_2" class="banner b300x250 BTF_MPU_2" data-class=".banner.b300x250.BTF_MPU_2" data-old-name="BTF_MPU_2" data-name="article_mrec_sidebar" data-size="[300, 250]" data-account="178876888" > <script type="text/javascript"> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-BTF_MPU_2"); }); </script> </div> </div> </aside> </div> </article> </div> <div class="ajax-sidebar main"></div> </div> <script> ( function ( body ) { 'use strict'; body.className = body.className.replace( /\btribe-no-js\b/, 'tribe-js' ); } )( document.body ); </script>   <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-PDHTZLL" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden" aria-hidden="true"></iframe></noscript> <script> /* <![CDATA[ */var tribe_l10n_datatables = {"aria":{"sort_ascending":": activate to sort column ascending","sort_descending":": activate to sort column descending"},"length_menu":"Show _MENU_ entries","empty_table":"No data available in table","info":"Showing _START_ to _END_ of _TOTAL_ entries","info_empty":"Showing 0 to 0 of 0 entries","info_filtered":"(filtered from _MAX_ total entries)","zero_records":"No matching records found","search":"Search:","all_selected_text":"All items on this page were selected. 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